SDB 28-12-18 Hotwarm

[Giz]

New SDB on Ma3 is up! http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/sdb-hotwarm/

[OllieOrOlly]

It could be deemed cringeworthy or sweet, either way, the little recap to how Gary and Dillon parted was probably one of the healthiest interactions for unrequited love in the series. Dillon's reflection on it and the art in his expressions is quite possibly the first time he's seemed like a genuine person, instead of just a gay stereotype.

That said... Wonder who long haired guy simply touching Jerzy's arm is? The exclamation points about Dillon seem to indicate a bout of hysterics is on the horizon. Those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, so it would be a bit annoying if Dillon got mad with jealousy considering how he just was clinging to Gary - especially since the context here seems merely friendly, and at the very least nowhere near as intimate as when Dillon hugged Gary.

[Fluffy]

Oh, please, please please please! The one moment where I would support someone spying on their loved one out of suspicion - please, let this be the one!

I haven't been a fan of Dillon's in a long while; but I don't believe Jerzy is as pure as Dillon seems to think he is and - as obnoxious as Dillon can be - he doesn't deserve another Matt in his life (if this is a case of Jerzy having a side piece, that is).

May he spy on Jerzy just long enough to confirm this is an actual issue to be concerned about and not simply charge in like he had when spying on Jerzy and Angel, suspecting infidelity on Jerzy's part.

Those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, so it would be a bit annoying if Dillon got mad with jealousy considering how he just was clinging to Gary

Dillon has always been a hypocrite in that sense. It's part of the reason why I came to dislike him after a time

[samtheman]

Dillon will probably continue to be Dillon which is why I don't like him very much. And when are we going to get back to Ma3?

[brasca]

Well it remains to be seen if Dillon has experienced any personal growth. Hopefully, he'll react with maturity, but he should know all too well how untrustworthy Jerzy is.

[Fluffy]

Well it remains to be seen if Dillon has experienced any personal growth. Hopefully, he'll react with maturity, but he should know all too well how untrustworthy Jerzy is.

Problem is, Dillon has been looking at Jerzy through rose colored glasses - blaming his infidelity on others (namely Angel) instead of even considering Jerzy may be a cheating slimeball.

I mean, the fact that Dillon was so willing to sleep with Jerzy because he said Angel had been 'distant' and hadn't put out in 'two whole days!' ( ) should have raised some alarms in his head that something may be amiss. I mean, yeah - even if Jerzy needs a daily boinking, why didn't he try talking to Angel instead of immediately sleeping with Dillon?

Really, really hoping that Jerzy is cheating and Dillon catches him red handed; so his impending dramatics will be justified, for once.

[Spidrift]

Jerzy is "untrustworthy" in the sense of having trouble letting go of Angel, and for that matter from Angel's point of view in that he jumped back into bed with Dillon, but he demonstrated back at the two concerts that he actually has a reasonably solid sense of how he ought to behave, and he doesn't come across to me as a Matt-grade casual shagger. But he's a bit of a cipher, so who knows?

Anyhow, this fourth-panel joke doesn't work for me as a joke, because it reminds me yet again why I find Dillon so annoying; it depends on the fact that he always has to make a big production number of everything. We understand that Dillon will get jealous here, because he's seen Jerzy ... smiling at another guy, who's touching his arm. Sodding hell, Dillon. That could be a 100% straight, slightly touchy-feely colleague who's just told Jerzy a good joke. Without further evidence of something bad, it's not worth even the faintest twinge of jealousy. But Dillon will go straight to fucking meolodrama. Because fucking Dillon. Why the hell should anybody feel any liking or sympathy for the egomaniac little berk?

I guess it's interesting to compare Zii's similar scene, lo these seven years past. You could say that Zii was just as bad there, except that (a) Erik was actually kissing Erika, and (b) the whole point was that Zii was as confused by her feelings as anybody at that point, and the strip was something of a reveal.

Also - the note at the top says "Ma3 returns real soon." Which implies not much more SDB, at all; perhaps just enough to wrap up this bit of Dillon silliness. So I guess that the Larose sisters are getting a slingshot ending, heading off into a future where they can rebuild their relationship on the basis of Ruby's new relaxation and Amber's new understanding that Ruby has complex feelings to consider. I confess that I hope we might see more about that, someday, somehow. Or at least about the new improved Ruby - though there's also a few loose ends in the Amber/Roy relationship.

[worldshaking00]

I am hoping that we get a moment where Jerzy tells Dillon that he only has eyes (and other body parts) for him, making Dillon realize that his particular brand of melodrama needs to be shackled down. It does get tiresome, and it makes him out to be very clingy... a serious turn-off. Having Jerzy & mystery guy's interaction be purely friendly seems like the only real way to end SDB keeping true to "everyone being in their happy place."

As far as the implied close to SDB: I really want more of sexy Ruby, if for no other reason than to see how well Andy & her are able to pair up. I agree with @Spidrift, that I also would have liked to read Amber & Ruby finally acting like sisters... complete with porn reveals to the family etc. I also think a double date between the sisters would have been cherry. More below.

As far as the return of Ma3 proper: it can't come quick enough. I became vested into this universe with the original cast and their conundrums. The ancillary & spin-off characters are fun, but I really want to see how Gary & Zii & Didi wrap up. I am hoping for a curveball or two to be thrown in, instead of Ma3's ending being linear and overly simplistic. Example: what if Peggy takes to heart Gary's admission of wanting to experience sex with Zii at least once. Is that a gift (or requirement for her to have Gary get her out of his system) that Peggy would bring up in order for her to feel more comfortable with their relationship to proceed deeper? And what will DIdi do for orgasms while Zii is on tour? A few options spring to mind. Then there is the return of Kiley... maybe. I'm only counting around 17 or so potential updates until the end of February, shared between SDB & Ma3. The creative team could always push for more, of course; but, it stands to reason that there is really only so much room for filler-style strips and empty gags. Plus, page counts for the upcoming volume need to be factored in when determining update and book content.

As to character development, especially in these latter strips: we might not ever get it. I expect that there will be certain things that will never change about these caricatures. I almost expect Tracy and James to be arguing and pining over Gary forever, regardless of how their futures unfold. I expect Yuki to always be flighty, regardless of how deep Matt gives it to Yuki or how much she ties him down. I expect Roxie to always be gruff. There are some things that are so ingrained into a particular character that, even though us readers want to see that attribute be changed or overcome, it can't happen. Such things give the creative team leverage & familiarity to return to those characters, as if nothing ever changed, should they choose to continue later with said storyline. If they have too much growth and conclusion, it makes it harder to keep a similar story. The argument that keeping the characters the same for too long makes them & their story stale is valid; no quibbling over that. It is a challenge to find that correct balance. However, I think that the art style (Archie) helps to reinforce how little the characters should be expected to change. Riverdale. Montreal. Three syllables each. Conspiracy? Maybe. Maybe I need to resize my tin foil hat.

See you next year.

[samtheman]

There's no doubt in my mind that the overall story of SDB and Ma3 will remain open-ended and inconclusive. That's just in case the creative team wants to return to this comic and it's exaggerated characters at a later date. Because of that, none of the relationships in this setting are going to become permanent. Gary and Peggy with either continue with a FWB relationship or Peggy will get cold feet and end things with Gary. As for Yuki and Matt, I'm still betting that Yuki will walk in on Matt cheating on her with Kiley. And to be honest that's the only feasible way I could see Kiley returning to the story. So if that happens Yuki and Matt will break up but Yuki will once again fixate on Gary and/or Zii. Matt and Kiley might become "therabuddies" again but they won't become a permanent couple either because that would go against Ma3's rule of "no permanent couples ever". Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind if Gary ended up in a happy and stable relationship with Peggy but then I also remember which webcomic I'm reading. A "happily ever after" ending is very subjective and open to interpretation. That and a lot of creators are trolls in their own right and like to watch the readers squirm.

[Spidrift]

I also think a double date between the sisters would have been cherry.

Baby steps needed to that, I think. Ruby and Amber can get back on proper speaking terms easily enough, and hold constructive practical conversations about parents and work and stuff. But asking them to socialise for a whole evening runs into the problem that Ruby is still the smart one who seems to have developed a taste for ethnic food, Amber is still the more flighty, outgoing one and seems to be more of a bottle-of-wine-and-gossip type, and both Roy and Andy are a bit clueless and wouldn’t be much help (though I guess that they might end up trading workout tips).

Too much risk of long embarrassing silences, at least until they build a working mutual understanding. Though maybe I’m over-thinking.

[worldshaking00]

Baby steps indeed. Ruby hasn't even confided in Amber that she has ever had an orgasm, let alone having a pleasure egg or sex! Having 'that talk' would be as difficult for Ruby to say to Amber's face that she actually loves her; it would validate Amber's opinion that sex is amazing. And while Amber wouldn't beat Ruby up over it, it would be a challenge for Ruby to ask for advice from Amber on other avenues to explore. But I think that is the general avenue I was hoping the sisters would take, having Amber be able to guide Ruby into this new world. Then the two could work out how to bring up Amber's past, or mutually decide that the folks never need to know and let the past be the past.

As for their dining habits, yes, the two seem polar in their tastes. But that is the beauty of it: growth and experimentation. Amber might really enjoy some spicy(?) ethnic food or being brought into the world her sister knows alot about. It would have made some nice bonding moments. As the guys go, yeah, not too sure about the conversation there. But then, stereotypical guys chat about sports or hunting or workout routines or work so no real need to delve deeper than that.

[christopheftw]

Step 1 of Dillon’s unresolved issues resolved: he can be friends with Gary and let go of his unrequited crush with some self-examination and perspective. On to step 2: dealing with his self-sabotaging jealousy. I hope he gets this right.

[Spidrift]

Then the two could work out how to bring up Amber's past, or mutually decide that the folks never need to know and let the past be the past.

Logically, Amber's got to 'fess up the moment her straight acting career takes off, really. Her folks are sure to hear about that, and read a little of her press -- and while an ex-porn star can become a straight actress with credibility, if she can demonstrate the acting chops, the one thing she can't prevent is every preview and interviewer saying "former porn star Amber Larose..."

She said as much to Dillon a long time ago. On top of which, Ruby may be more sympathetic now, but she’s still Ruby, which means that she inclines to truthfulness. It's all the plot-logic elephant in the room.

(Though, okay, these comics aren’t always 100% on plot logic.)

[Opus the Poet]

Dillon will probably continue to be Dillon which is why I don't like him very much. And when are we going to get back to Ma3?

The above-comic blurb states shortly after 1/3/2019 so I don't expect more than 4 more SDB at the most.

[Spidrift]

<Deleted -- accidental double post.>